Slate writer William Saletan is, by a considerable margin, the sharpest and best informed bioethics journalist on the liberal side of the spectrum. He fully supports abortion, of course. But he would like to be able to oppose what he describes as "the pro-choice position on infanticide." Here, in a piece titled "After-birth Abortion: The Pro-Choice Case for Infanticide," Saletan is wrestling with himself on the issue . . . and losing. He says that the academic left's supporting infanticide is a "crazy" idea. The trouble is, given his own pro-abortion premises, he can't quite come up with a decent argument against it. He would like to believe that "something profound changes at birth." But, as he quotes a pro-choice critic of that idea saying, "there is nothing magical about passing through the birth canal."

Truer words were never spoken. There is nothing magical about passing through the birth canal. So unfortunately for people like Mr. Saletan, you can't have it both ways. Which side are you on, boys? Which side are you on?